Steeling Ely
by Nyte Kat
Summary: A little AU and Jake torture. Rated M for Rape/homosexuality/language/etc. Something terrible happens to Jake's sister.
1. Chapter 1

**This is what happens when I let my mind wander at work. Hopefully this brainchild won't spawn a sequel.**

Disclaimer: I do not own the swat kats or any other commercial icons I might happen to use in this piece. Though, I wish I did and if anyone who happens to own any brands I use would like to donate the profits of said item, I would be a happy little fanatic.

Just a Note: Ely is pronounced "el-ee" not "ee-lie"

I tried to add separation, but nothing worked. Sorry. I hope it isn't too confusing.

Another caution: adult themes and language.

Thanks

Happy Reading

Prostitution: one of Megakat City's least acknowledged profiting industries. Occasionally, a story would pop up on the news about a she-kat arrested for soliciting herself, but it was a rarity. A good bit of Megakat City's finest had found their way into the red light district too many times to embarrass themselves by making arrests; the consequences of these actions only impacted the lives of she-kats working the streets. Murders and assaults went ignored. In a city where dinosaurs came out of vortexes in the skies, mutants turned the sewers to swamps and the mayor only cared about golf, the untimely death of a whore was a waste of the tax-payers' money to investigate.

This is the tale of a Megakat City hooker. This is the story of how she evaded death, and how easy it is for revenge to turn into something more sinister.

"Just a little slap and tickle..." Elyssa narrowed her eyes at her client. "That's all we discussed. This," she pointed an accusing claw at the leather mace lying on the bed, "will cost you extra."

"So you'll do it?" Her client was an obese kat, dressed in an expensive suit, probably someone working for the mayor, or an out-of-towner on a 'business trip'. "I'll pay you anything." He pulled out a wad of cash, handing it to Elyssa. She skimmed the wad and smiled. "On your knees, slave!" She hissed, tucking the money into an obscure place while her client quickly undressed and knelt on the bed, facing the wall.

An Hour Later

"Jake! Your sister's here!" Chance yelled up the stairs. He smiled at Elyssa Clawson, then looked down at the bags in her paws. "And she brought lunch!"

"So, how's life in the garage?" Elyssa asked Chance, smiling more innocently, now that she was with a friend.

"Boring." Both Chance and Jake were aware of Elyssa's profession. They rarely brought it up.

"Ely!" Jake squeezed his little sister into a big hug from behind. He constantly feared for her safety, and at times seemed more smothering than others. "What did you bring?"

She smiled. "Your favorite. Tofu burgers." Jake made a face. Not again. "I'm just kidding. I brought steaks."

Chance's blue eyes brightened. Steak was a rare meal for broke mechanics. Jake, however, frowned, knowing how his little sister had earned the money to afford such a luxurious lunch for three. Elyssa narrowed her eyes at her brother, then smiled, brushing it off. "Let's eat, I'm starving."

After an hour of eating and goofing off, Elyssa stood up and stretched. "I need to be going." She started walking towards her two door Honda. "I'll come by tomorrow. If its a good day, I'll bring lunch again." Jake stood up, following her to her car.

"Ely," Jake said softly, grasping one of her thin wrists. She met his eyes. "What would it take for you to stop doing what you do?" She sighed and turned her head. "I mean it. You could stay here. Chance wouldn't mind. I'm sure you could find some way to get back into school, get a job doing something safe."

Elyssa pulled her arm out of her brother's gentle hold. "Something safe? You know, I worry about you, too, Jake. And I think what I get paid to do is a lot safer than what you do for free." Elyssa was one of only two kats who knew who the Swat Kats were. The other was Chance's mom.

"And what about at the end of the day, how do you feel then? Are you happy with how you paid your electric bill? How about knowing that the majority of your 'customers' are probably of questionable character? I don't want you to be another blip on the news, a body that nobody cares about." Jake wished he could make his little sister listen.

Elyssa sighed and took one of Jake's paws into both of her own. They could have been twins, if they weren't 3 years apart. "Jake, I love you, and I understand and appreciate your concern, but you, of all kats, should understand that life isn't that cut and dry. I can't just say 'I quit'. There's consequences." She let go of Jake's paw and hugged him. "I have to go. I'll see you soon." She got into her car, "And I promise, it won't be on the news."

Jake watched until Elyssa's car had made it to the main road before turning back to the garage. "So... back to this transmission?" Chance studied his partner for a second before shrugging and grabbing a wrench.

"_You_ can work on _that_ all you want. I'm going to work on this beast over here." Chance waved the wrench at the familiar green sedan on the lift. The deputy mayor's car.

Jake crossed his arms, an anxious look on his face. It had been three days since Elyssa had brought them lunch. It had also been three days since he last saw and heard from his little sister. He just got off the phone with her roommate. She told him that she hadn't seen her in two days, but didn't seem too concerned. Jake felt the knot in his stomach tighten, his mind wondering what horrible fates could have befallen his sister. Those tortured thoughts were interrupted by Chance throwing open the door.

"Jake, you better come see what Burke and Murray just dropped on our doorstep." Chance's face held a twisted expression, one that suggested either terror or nausea. Jake narrowed his eyes and followed Chance back down to the garage. He faltered in his steps, recognizing the rusty blue, two door Honda he'd just changed the oil in a month ago, the same one that brought Elyssa to the salvage yard with lunch three days ago. Only, the little car was in no condition to transport anyone. It looked as if it had rolled down a hill. The top was smashed down onto the head rests of the driver's and passenger's seats. Except for sharp blades jutting out maybe an inch around the frame of the front window, the glass was gone. Jake swallowed back the sick feeling in his throat, noticing no blood on the beige interior. "We need to gut it and find something that can tell us where Ely is." He started by prying open the driver's side door. "I'll start on the inside, you work on the trunk." Jake directed quietly, pulling the lever that would open the trunk hatch. There was a strained clicking sound and the beat in trunk opened only a hair. Chance nodded and got to work.

It took a little bit of force to lift the trunk hatch, but it lifted. When it did, Chance felt his mouth go dry. Shaking a little, he walked around the car, grabbing Jake's shoulder. "Did you find something?" Jake turned around. "What's wrong?" The last time he had seen Chance's face that shade of pale, Jake was laying on his back, spitting up swamp water. Chance seemed to gather his thoughts quickly. "Call an ambulance." His voice was cold.

"What? Why?" Jake questioned before his eyes widened. "Ely's in the trunk," He muttered and spun towards the rear of the car. Chance grabbed Jake by the back of the shirt. "Jake, please just go call an ambulance." He didn't want Jake to see his little sister in the condition she was in. Jake felt his temper rise. He needed to know Elyssa was alright. Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, Jake relaxed his shoulders. "OK, fine." Chance let him go, and he darted around the car, skidding to a halt in front of the trunk. Jake's eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat. The sound of Chance, now speaking into the phone on the desk, was only a hum in the back of his brain. The she-kat in the trunk looked like something in a crime scene drama. She was naked, bound at the wrists and ankles with duct tape. Her face was swollen beneath the trademark Clawson cinnamon fur. Blood was dried around her mouth and nose, as well as numerous other places on her body. But the most horrifying visible injury was carved down her spine. The word "WHORE" had been brutally slashed into her flesh. Jake found himself hunched over, clutching the rubber lining where the trunk hatch locked. He felt dizzy. Chance was yelling at him, "See if she has a pulse! Does she have a pulse? Jake! Check her fucking pulse!" Jake reached a tentative paw towards Elyssa's blood-smeared throat. Shaking, he pushed his fingers down on the soft flesh. "She's alive."

"What?" Chance wanted to put the phone down and shake Jake back to reality.

Jake tried to get his voice above a faltering whisper. "She's alive!" His voice cracked. Tears brimmed his green eyes and his knees met the cold concrete floor with bruising force. It seemed like an eternity before Chance's strong arms were pulling him away from the car so that the paramedics could reach Elyssa. He was led to the squeaky orange swivel chair at the desk. Chance was facing him. His lips were moving, but all Jake could hear was the beating of his heart in his throat.

Chance had a paw on each one of Jake's shoulders. "Jake, I need you to say something, buddy. You're starting to scare me." Jake just stared at him. No. Through him, like he was a sheet of glass. "You can't help your sister like this, Jake." Chance said softly, cupping the side of Jake's face in one of his paws. "She needs you."

Jake felt like he did as Razor when T-Bone had saved him from drowning. The breath he hadn't been able to take, he took in a big gulp of air, gasping as if he couldn't fill his lungs. The deafening thumping of his heart silenced and Chance's calm, soothing voice hit him like a brick wall. Jake all but leaped out of the seat. The paramedics were loading his unconscious sister into the ambulance. "Go with her." Chance encouraged, "I'll meet you there." Jake nodded

Chance all but ran over Jake when he turned the corner. It had only been five minutes since Jake was told to wait in the emergency waiting room and he was already pacing when Chance got there. "Here." He thrust a bottle of soda into Jake's shaking paws and pushed him towards the ugly green couch by the windows overlooking the parking lot. What was it about hospitals and ugly colors?

Jake twisted off the top of the carbonated drink, only to have it spew foam all over him. Jake snarled and started to chuck the bottle at the wall when one of Chance's large paws clamped down on his wrist. "Hey, calm down. It's going to be o k." He tried to soothe.

"No. It isn't going to be o k." Jake said through gritted teeth. "I told her she needed to stop. I warned her how dangerous it was. She never listens to me. Now, I don't know if she's going to make it for me to argue with her again about not doing what's right."

Chance wanted to tell Jake that everything would be fine, but he didn't think it would be convincing.

"I want to know who did this." Jake said darkly. "I want to know who hurt her."

"And then what?" Chance cocked his head a little. "What are you going to do when you find them?"

Jake could think of a million things, none of them rational or legal. He wanted this kat to bleed the way Ely did. "I don't know." Jake hung his head. "I don't know what I'll do." His voice softened. "I don't know what I'll do without her."

The next four hours seemed to drag by without word from the doctors. Jake found himself switching from sitting to pacing to sitting again. He wasn't sure if he wanted to cry or punch something. His claws had become the victims of his nervous chewing. When he sat, he couldn't sit still. When he paced, he couldn't focus his brain on one single thought. Finally, Jake stopped and stared out the window. The sun had set an hour ago. "I need some air," he said quietly. Chance accepted it as Jake wanting to be alone to sort out his emotions. Before he could verbally acknowledge it, however, a black, short-furred doctor walked out of the emergency room doors. "Jacob Clawson?"

Jake found himself sitting once again, only this time, in a more comfortable chair in a private office. The plush, foreign material, however, couldn't relax him. Chance sat in the chair next to him, his paw in Jake's, offering the reassurance of someone more than a friend. "Most of Elyssa's injuries are external and will heal overtime. She is still unconscious, but not comatose. Though, we aren't eliminating that possibility until she wakes up. CT Scans show that she did suffer a concussion. Other X Rays have shown only two broken ribs." Dr. Kerr paused. "The... lacerations... to her back required stitching in some areas." He looked down at the file in front of him. "We also did a few other examinations that suggest Elyssa was sexually assaulted."

Jake took a sharp breath. "She was raped?" Dr. Kerr nodded. "Are you positive? Because Elyssa does live a questionable lifestyle, and.."  
Dr. Kerr cut Jake off, holding up a paw. "We did a complete examination. I have seen many young she-kats in my ER with the same 'questionable lifestyle' and enough who were just in the wrong place with the wrong kat to know a rape victim when I see one."

Jake started to reply, but stopped and nodded, not wanting to accept what a professional was telling him. On the surface, he appeared calm and attentive. He was listening to every word the doctor was telling him, while on the inside, Jake was boiling with rage.

Chance followed Jake down the stairs to the exit, attempting some sort of acknowledgment. Jake did not speak. He shrugged off any type of physical contact, forcing his way out the automatic doors. The cool night air hit him like a sheet and he spun, punching the brick wall with force he would regret only after the adrenaline faded. Blood trickled down his taught knuckles. Chance gripped Jake hard, pinning his back against the wall. "You need to calm down." Chance whispered, an inch from Jake's face. "This won't do you any good. I know you're angry. I'm angry too. But you need to keep a clear head. If not for yourself, then for your sister."

The flames in Jake's eyes were washed away in a blink. "I need a cigarette."

"You haven't smoked since high school." Chance narrowed his eyes.

Jake closed his eyes, "And I need one now." He had said the same thing at his parents' funeral not even 3 years prior. Somehow, he managed, but right now, if he didn't have a cigarette, then he needed a stiff drink. A smoke would at least keep him focused. Chance seemed to debate something in his mind before backing away from Jake.

"There's a gas station across the street. The walk might do us some good."

Five minutes later, Jake tasted the cool paper around the filter between his lips. The red lighter he'd purchased shook just slightly in his paws as he lit the cigarette. The smoke burned his throat and lungs just enough to remind him why he quit, but half a cigarette later, he forgot again. He smoked it right down to the filter before he was ready to go back inside the hospital and wait until he could see Elyssa, until she would wake up and tell her who it was he had to kill.

Alright... so that was chapter one of my new baby. Dun Dun Dun. I know I know... I still have other unfinished projects, but this has been on my mind all day. Read and Review and I will add on.

NK


	2. Chapter 2

Time for the second chapter, where you find out why I deliberately misspelled the title, ha ha ha! I also decided to add on another, less suspenseful personal dilemma. As you all know, I love the idea of Jake being gay. I wanted a story where Chance was less accepting and decided to incorporate that as well. Anyway, this will likely be shorter than the first chapter, I'm not sure on the official word count. On the first chapter, the editor would not allow any type of separation, so I will be using this: (imaginary bar) to represent the divider between sections. I hope you appreciate the silliness of it. Happy Reading.

-Nyte Kat-

(imaginary bar... haha)

Chance embraced Jake in a tight hug, whispering in his ear, "Just call me at the shop when you're ready and I'll come pick you up." Jake nodded in response. They both had spent close to 8 hours in the hospital, and while they both were exhausted, someone needed to be at the garage. Chance didn't want to leave Jake to his own silent musings with his blood still boiling with rage at his sister's condition. He sighed, knowing that it wouldn't be much longer before Elyssa woke up. Dr. Kerr said she'd opened her eyes briefly. It was only a matter of hours before she would wake up again. Jake was adamant about being there when she did.

"I need answers." Jake had said, "I need her to tell me she's fine."

Chance paused before walking away. "Are you sure you don't need anything before I leave? I've got some cash on me if you're hungry." He really wanted to knock Jake unconscious and drag him home.

Jake shook his head. "No," he replied softly. "I'll be fine." 'As soon as I get a name,' he added mentally. Chance sighed and nodded, giving up the fight. While Jake was physically the weaker of the two, he certainly was more persistent and stubborn. Chance slumped his shoulders. The walk to the tow truck was quiet despite the downtown traffic. He kicked a tire, feeling more than a little bad that there wasn't anything else he could really do.

(imaginary bar... stocked with all kinds of liquor)

Jake sat rigidly in the hard plastic chair next to Elyssa's bed. The walls to her 'room' looked suspiciously like cheap shower curtains. The monotonous hum of the surrounding machines seemed connected to the slow pace of the clock. Jake drained the contents of his coffee cup and sighed. His eye lids were fighting a losing battle with gravity. "Ugh," he groaned, rubbing his face, leaning his head back, only to be reminded of the lack of a wall to support it. A dull ache was forming in the pit of his stomach. It was a pitiful reprimand for not taking Chance up on the offer of food. He arched his back so that he could remove his wallet from his back pocket, only to be disappointed. "Insufficient funds," Jake muttered to himself. All he had were a couple of maxed out credit cards and a debit card to a bank account containing enough change to keep it out of the red. It was a bitter reminder of how financially unforgiving his life was. It was also a reminder of why he let Chance handle all the money. Jake sighed and stood up, stretched, and sat back down. Maybe it was time to call Chance.

"Jake..."

Jake jerked his head up. Had he fallen asleep? "Ely?" He slid the chair forward. "How are you feeling?" Jake squeezed one of her paws gently.

"Tired..." she smiled softly. "Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital." Jake looked puzzled. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Elyssa held a blank stare for a few moments. Then squeezed her eyes shut with a gasp. "The bed... I remember laying on my stomach on the bed."

"Alright," Jake chewed his lip for a second. "Ely, you were... assaulted."

"No. I mean, I know." Her eyes were still shut. "My back. He cut open my back. It hurt so bad."

"Who did it?" Jake asked, abruptly. "Who did this to you, Ely?"

Elyssa opened her eyes, shaking her head. "What does it matter? There's nothing that can be done." She felt hopeless.

"Of course there's something that can be done." Jake lowered his voice. "I can make sure something is done."

Tears pooled in his sister's green eyes. "I'm so tired, Jake," she whispered hoarsely. "I just want to sleep."

"Then sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up." Jake exhaled softly. "I'm not moving until they tell me you can leave."

Elyssa closed her eyes, thankful for her brother, but also wishing for time alone to figure out what she was going to tell him. Revenge wasn't something Jake condoned, but she knew that he would seek it. What consequences would he risk just to satisfy his anger?

"How did you find me?" Elyssa whispered.

"Your car was towed into the yard." Jake paused, "you were in the trunk." He took a sharp breath, "Ely, do you know who did this?"

"I should have listened to you," she replied. "When I leave here, can I still live with you and Chance?"

Jake softened a bit, "Of course you can." It was obvious that she didn't want to talk about it. "I can room with Chance, and you can have my room. You can make it as girlish and lacy as you want."

Elyssa smiled, then chuckled, "it sounds nice. Chance won't mind sharing his room with a queer?"

Jake stiffened and chuckled nervously. "Huh, well, Chance doesn't exactly know. He just assumes I'm shy."

Elyssa squeezed Jake's paw. "You two are like brothers. You should trust him enough to tell him." Jake leaned back in the chair, sighing.

"Chance is too macho. He'd fly off the handle and get upset. He'd take it too personally, do something irrational." Jake stopped, a look of realization appearing on his face. "You think I'm going to do something irrational if you tell me." Elyssa nodded. "Ely, I promise you, I'll let this go. I won't ever bring up his name again. I just need to know." He felt a pang of guilt, bargaining his trust with a lie. Elyssa faltered, but her defenses fell. Tears spilled onto her cheeks, sliding quickly onto the pillow beneath her head. "Steele," she muttered.

Jake felt as if his heart stopped. "Lieutenant Commander Steele?"

Elyssa nodded, frantically wiping the tears off her face. Jake stood up, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to still the anger that was quickly bubbling to the surface. Elyssa was right, there wasn't anything they could do. The legal system was too corrupted by the government to expect justice. But there was something _he_ could do. There were a lot of things _he_ could do.

(a swat kat walked into a bar...)

"There's always plastic surgery," Elyssa said optimistically, as she stared at the reflection of her back in the mirror in her new room. "When I find a job, I'll start saving up. I'm sure by the time I have enough money, the scars won't be so bad and it won't cost that much." Jake said nothing. He hadn't said a lot since learning Lt. Com. Steele was responsible for raping Elyssa. He didn't even tell Chance the day before when he called to say he and Elyssa were ready to come home.

Jake shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm going to help Chance in the garage. If you need anything, just let me know."

"O k." Elyssa nodded, watching Jake go.

Jake was walking past the room he now shared with Chance on his way downstairs when Chance stopped him. "Hey, Jake, can you come here a sec?" Jake back-tracked to the bedroom.

"What's up? I thought you were in the garage." Jake froze in the doorway.

"Well, I was about to be, when I tripped over a box of your stuff and it fell over. Can you explain this?" Chance picked up a black plastic bag, dumping its contents onto Jake's bed. Jake felt his jaw go slack. "That? I don't know what that is."

"I think it's pretty obvious what it is," Chance gritted his teeth, unable to look at the adult magazines on the bed. "I want to know why _you_ have them?"

Jake faltered, "They're... they're not mine. I've never seen them before." The words tumbled out unconvincingly.

"Are you gay?" Chance asked, not looking at Jake.

"What kind of question is that?" Jake fought the nervous shudder that racked his body. "I told you those aren't mine."

"Jake?" Chance stood up. " You swear these aren't yours?"

"Yeah, I swear. Jesus, Chance, I don't even know where they came from." Jake looked around anxiously, before closing the bedroom door. "Just throw them out before Ely sees them."

Chance's eyes widened. "Uh-uh. I'm not touching them anymore than I have to. They were in your stuff. _You_ can throw them out."

"Fine. Whatever." Jake grabbed the magazines, stuffing them back in the bag, mentally pouting to see them go. "Oh, hey, if you don't mind, I thought I'd take the cyclotron out for a spin tonight. I've been meaning to test some night-vision targeting I installed a few weeks ago."

"Sounds like fun, let me know when you're ready to go and I'll follow you in the Turbokat." Chance perked up at the opportunity to fly his baby.

"Actually," Jake frowned, "I was looking forward to a solo test run."

"Oh," Chance almost pouted. "Well, I mean, that's cool. I understand. Maybe some other time, then."

"Yeah." Jake nodded.

(bar bar bar... yay! I win the slots again!)

Razor adjusted the binoculars, focusing on Lt. Com. Steele's penthouse apartment. A swift attack was all he needed. Getting there was the easy part. Razor was stealthy and agile enough to make it into such a poorly guarded complex unnoticed. Even for Enforcer housing, security was a joke. But what would he do when he got there? He didn't want the swat kats, as a team, to receive the blame if anything were to 'happen' to the Lt. Com. No, anything he did, would have to be as a civilian. It needed to happen fast, clean, and without tracks. Razor sighed, pocketing his binoculars and turned the cyclotron around. He had plenty of time to make his move.

(dun dun dun)

Alright, so I had to give it more than one plot line. What can I say? I'm a drama queen! And the queen loves reviews!

NK


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three has arrived! I promise I'm slowly building towards... I don't know... something. Hahaha! Anyway, thanks for your reviews! Nothing like an ego boost to keep me going!

(return of the imaginary bar)

Jake scowled, blinking his eyes in the dark. Lightening flashed outside, illuminating the bedroom for only a fraction of a second, followed by a timid boom of thunder. Chance's snoring was more thunderous than the approaching storm. Jake was beginning to wonder if he would ever get used to the arrangement. He was a light sleeper, while Chance seemed to be at war with his sheets. He would snort and snarl in his sleep, kicking and tossing and turning, mumbling and gurgling. Jake sighed, pulling his pillow out from under his head and covering his face. His hands were folded tightly on top of the pillow when he felt an unexpected drop of water. Jake moved the pillow, staring up at the dark ceiling. Another drop landed in his left eye. He winced in surprise, feeling another drop fall onto the same eye, now closed. "What the..?" Jake stood up on the bed, stretching to touch the ceiling. It was too dark. He knelt down and fished a lighter out of the table between their beds. Then he held it up, examining the ceiling. A droplet smothered the flame. "Shit," Jake cursed. He slid off the bed and began pushing it towards the wall.

Chance squinted in the dark, hearing an occasional grunt from Jake and what sounded like the bed moving. "Aw, come on, man, you couldn't do that without waking me up?"

Jake stopped. "Sorry, but the ceiling was dripping on my face and... wait. What?" He turned and looked at Chance. "Oh. Ugh. No. Jeez, you're such a pervert."  
Chance mumbled something and pulled the covers over his head. Jake sighed, crawling back into bed now that he was out of the 'rain'. 'Besides,' Jake thought, 'I threw out all my magazines.'

(humming obscure melody)

Chance stretched as he walked to the kitchen. It seemed he was the last one there. "Morning, Ely," He smiled, ruffling her short red hair as he passed, pausing to look at Jake, whose head was resting face down on the news paper. "Is he asleep?" Elyssa nodded. Chance gave Jake a gentle shake. "Hey, buddy, wake up."

Jake mumbled something, opening his eyes only a slit.

"Is he o k?" Chance looked at Elyssa. "He didn't sneak out to some party or something while we were asleep did he?" Elyssa laughed softly, "I don't think so. He was asleep at the table when I got up this morning." Chance frowned. "Why didn't he just crash on the couch? Hey, Jake, wake up!" He shook Jake harder this time. Jake moaned and sat up slowly. "Are you alright?" Chance knelt down so that his face was an inch from Jake's. Jake seemed to be slowly processing the situation, as it took a few seconds for him to back up. "Yeah. Fine. Whatever." Jake put his head back on the table. "Wake me when the coffee's done." Chance turned to look at the coffee pot, full and steaming.

"It is done."

"Shit!" Jake jumped up. "What time is it?"

Elyssa and Chance looked at each other. "Nine-thirty," they said in unison. Jake grumbled about a dysfunctional alarm while he grabbed a coffee mug off the dish rack. He filled it to the brim, inhaled the strong aroma, and drank it black. Jake finished the mug and poured himself another before he sat back down, the fog in his brain clearing. "We need to fix the roof. There's a leak."

"What leak?" Chance twitched an ear. "I haven't seen a leak."  
"Well, there is one. I had to move my bed last night because of it." Jake said, expecting Chance to remember.

"I was wondering why the room looked different this morning." Chance replied nonchalantly. Jake shook his head.

"I'm going to take a shower and then look at the roof," Jake finished his coffee and put the mug in the sink. "Then I'm going to be downstairs working on some upgrades."

Chance frowned, "What upgrades?"

"The ones I always do, but never tell you about them until you ask." Jake replied, feeling a little snippy.

(insignificant little bar thingy)

Elyssa kicked Chance's foot softly. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, kiddo," Chance said from underneath Calico Briggs' car. Elyssa took a deep breath, releasing it slowly.

"I'm worried about Jake." Chance slid out and looked up at Elyssa, now giving her his full attention. "I told him who was responsible for what happened. He promised me he wouldn't take it into his own hands. But he's been going out alone a lot at night, and he hasn't been talking as much as he normally does."

Chance quirked an ear, hearing the cyclotron leave the hangar. "I see what you mean." He paused. "Was it someone he knows?" Elyssa nodded.

"You don't think Jake would ever kill anyone? Do you?" Elyssa couldn't hide the fear in her expression. Chance couldn't hide the surprise.

"What? Jake? No. I've seen him get angry, but when it comes down to crunch time, he doesn't use more force than necessary." Chance stood up off the concrete floor. "Who was it?"

Elyssa gave Chance a hard glare.

"What? You can tell Jake, but not me?" Chance defended. He saw Elyssa's lip quiver. Jake had been so caught up in wanting to know who, that he hadn't even asked how. Chance found himself suddenly with an armful of a sobbing mess. "Come on, lets go inside and talk." Chance soothed her, while locking up the shop. He led her upstairs, directing her toward the couch. Elyssa curled into his warm embrace. "I was so scared," she whimpered. "I've had some real creeps, but he was just mean."

_**flashback**_

"_Mistress Candice?" That was Elyssa's 'professional' name. Her client had unlocked the door to the motel room she'd purchased just as she'd directed. He sat on the bed, disappointed that she wasn't there. He had specifically requested 5:30pm. She was late. He wasn't going to pay. _

_Elyssa rushed up the steps. Traffic in Megakat City was murder, and it was shameful to keep a good paying client waiting. She would probably have to discount her services now. "Shit," she muttered, fishing her room key out of her bra. Fluffing her hair, she slid the key card in the lock and pushed open the door. "Not very professional, are you?"_

"_I might be late, but I assure you, I'm worth every dime." Elyssa countered. _

"_Well I don't pay for waiting. You're lucky I don't arrest you right now for soliciting an Enforcer," He sneered at her._

"_Do that and your little expenditures will be leaked to your wife," Elyssa was fed up with the high ranking officers feeling like they could get whatever they wanted and pay next to nothing, if that. "Of course, if you could get it for free, then you wouldn't be here." She didn't see his fist coming._

"_What makes you think you can talk to me like that? You're the filthy whore!" Steele's voice was cold. Elyssa gasped, backing against the wall. "Alright, just let me leave and I won't say a word."_

"_You won't have the opportunity to say anything," Steele grabbed a fistful of her hair, using it to throw her on the bed. "But why waste you're valuable service to society?" _

_Elyssa screamed against the duct tape, jerking against the knife slashing open her back. "Shut up!" Steele grabbed a book off the bedside table, hitting Elyssa hard in the back of the head._

_**end flashback**_

Chance held Elyssa while she sobbed. "Jake didn't ask what happened. He didn't ask me if I wanted to talk about it. All he asked was who did it." Chance combed his claws gently through her hair.

"I don't understand how a good she-kat like you got stuck doing what you did," Chance hugged her close. Elyssa was barely 20 years old. She should have been in college, working, doing a million other things. Elyssa chuckled softly, sniffling. "You know, I've been with so many Toms, but I've never really enjoyed it. It's always been about the money. There's never been any real feelings in it, no real passion."

(magic bar)

Jake climbed the ladder leading out of the hangar. He'd just walked into the living room, planning on watching Litterbin reruns on the comedy network. "HOLY FUCK! What the HELL are you doing?" Jake felt the blood rush to his temples. Elyssa gasped, jumping off of Chance, grabbing her clothes. "It's not what it looks like. I swear."

"Well, then please, explain. Because I'm pretty sure my vision is fine." Jake was glaring daggers through her.

"Hold on, there, Jake. It's not like we planned this." Chance defended, pulling on his pants.

"Chance, shut up." Jake pointed an accusing finger at him. "I don't want to hear an excuse. I don't want you to tell me that she tripped and fell on your dick. I want you to just shut up and I want you," he pointed at Elyssa, "to go put your clothes back on." Jake looked back at Chance. "What the fuck? I mean, what the hell... I don't even know what to say. Oh my fucking God. My best friend was just fucking my sister, barely a week after she got raped by a fucking Enforcer!" Jake had his paws on his head, as he were trying to prevent his head from exploding. "I think I'm going to be sick," Jake muttered.

"Oh quit being a fucking asshole!" Chance snapped back. "You act like you're high and mighty. I'm sorry you seem to lack hormones. At least I can get a she-kat." Chance hissed. Jake gulped in a large breath of air, releasing it slowly before meeting Chance's hard gaze. "You know what, Chance? That's it. You can have all the she-kats you want. You know why? Because I don't want them." Chance stared at him, mouth agape. "Yeah. You heard me right. I. Don't. Want. Them. I don't like she-kats. Those magazines were mine. You can think whatever you want about me, but leave my sister alone." Jake clenched his jaw, while Chance clenched and unclenched his fists. "So that's it. You don't have anything to say?"

Chance swallowed convulsively, nodding his head and then swung at Jake. His large fist connected with Jake's jaw, causing Jake's head to jerk back almost cartoon-like. "How long?" Chance seethed. Jake held his paw to his mouth, catching the blood from his split lips. "How long have you been lying to me? How long have you been fucking queer on me, Jake?"

"It's not like it happened over night, Chance." Jake couldn't look Chance in the eyes.

"You're my fucking gunner! I'm supposed to fucking trust you!" Chance shoved Jake. "And what about your sister?"

"What about her?" Jake shoved Chance back. "I'm not the one fucking her."

"Well maybe if her own brother would actually talk to her then she wouldn't go looking for someone else who will! Maybe if you cared more about helping her overcome this situation than taking out who did it, she wouldn't have come to me for help." Chance defended Elyssa.

"Yeah. You helped her a lot. Thanks." Jake shook his head. "Elyssa told me I need to tell you the truth. Now you know. When I get back, I'll stash my things in the hangar and sleep on the couch until we figure this mess out." Jake turned back towards the hangar before Chance could see the hurt and guilt welling up in his eyes.

(another bar)

T-Bone scowled. Sometimes, he wanted to strangle Razor. Right now was one of them. He'd been following the tracking beacon on the cyclotron for an hour. Now that he was on the ground, right where the radar said it was, he realized that Razor had led him astray, discarding the beacon in the inner city park fountain. "Razor," T-Bone said into his helmet. "O k, listen, if you haven't already turned off your headset, just come home. We'll talk about this. I'm sorry about that cheap shot I made. Just come back home. Ely's worried. Crud, I'm worried." T-Bone sighed, assuming he was talking into an empty channel. "Well, if he heard me, then he heard me. I can't waste any more fuel looking for him." T-Bone climbed back into the cockpit of the Turbokat and engaged the VTOL engines, lifting the jet out of the park.

Razor sat on the ground, his back against a tree on the outskirts of the city. He'd been listening to T-Bone speak, wondering if he should just give in. "No," he said aloud. Razor stood up, removing his helmet and mask, stripping down to his civvies. He engaged the cloaking mechanism on the Cyclotron and retrieved the motorcycle he'd hidden there several nights ago. Tonight was the night.

(final bar)

Hmm... I wonder what Jake is going to do?

Nyte Kat


	4. Chapter 4

In our last installment, Chance got caught with his pants down, Jake came clean to Chance, and everything just seems to be coming apart. Thanks for your reviews. Happy reading!

Nyte Kat

(magic bar returns)

Chance wiped his greasy paws on the dirty towel next to the phone. "Megakat Salvage." He answered the phone gruffly. It had been a long night with no sign of Jake. He waited up all night. "Chance..." Jake's voice sounded almost foreign. It was scratchy and exhausted. "Can you meet me somewhere so we can talk?" Chance looked out at the rain pouring down outside. "You name it, and I'm there."

Chance pulled the truck to a stop in front of the house Jake grew up in. It had been foreclosed after his dad died and his mom couldn't pay the taxes. Now that his mom was gone, too, Jake never even mentioned the place, until now. It was almost hidden by the tall weeds and grass, as well as the overgrown brush. The rain had lightened, but still added to the gloom of the place. You couldn't even see Jake sitting on the front steps until you got all the way up the driveway. There was something about his posture that wasn't right. He was slumping against the railing, and didn't even lift his gaze to acknowledge Chance's arrival. Chance got out of the truck and walked to the porch, sitting beside Jake. There was a back pack on the ground, his flight suit carelessly stuffed inside of it. "I wrecked the cyclotron," he said softly. "I dropped it on the gravel near the harbor, hit my back on the concrete barrier. It blew up." Chance twitched his tail patiently. "How'd you get here?" Jake pointed at the motorcycle he'd used last night. "And you just had a backup conveniently hidden?" Jake shook his head. "Not exactly. More like 'strategically hidden'." He shuddered for a second. "I was so close to having some type of closure. It never fails to slip away from me." Jake looked up at Chance. "I had it all figured out, how to get in, how to silence him, how to end it. And I couldn't do it."

_**flashback**_

_Jake disabled the security cameras in the hallway on the fourth floor. He crept down the hall to room D16, looking around before picking the lock. The lights were out, except for the one in the bathroom. Steele left that one on all the time. Quietly, Jake cut off two pieces of duct tape and slipped into the bedroom. Steele was laying flat on his back in the center of his king sized bed. Jake gritted his teeth and moved quickly, slapping the first piece of duct tape over Steele's eyes. _

"_Hey!" Steele sat up, inadvertently lining his mouth up with the second piece, which Jake slapped on with unnecessary force. He slid the special ops knife out of his pocket, unfolding it with a soft 'click'. "You don't know me," Jake whispered, pressing the blade against his throat, "but I know you. And you deserve death." Steele was frozen in fear, unable to see or scream for help. Jake pressed the blade harder against the quivering flesh, his own grip on the blade unsteady. "You are the worst criminal in this city. You are a murderer and a fraud." Even at a whisper, Jake's voice was cracking, tears were streaming down his face. The tip of the blade nicked the flesh, drawing forth tiny droplets of blood. Realization smacked Jake in the face. He was about to commit murder. He was about to become a criminal in cold blood. As quickly as he'd broken in to Lt. Com. Steele's apartment, he was gone. _

_**end flashback**_

Jake shivered, attempting to restrain his own emotions. "He doesn't deserve to live. And I just walked away. Then I couldn't even focus to get home. I made it 3 miles and fucking totaled something that took me a year to build." Chance tilted Jake's head up, wincing at the swelling around his jawline. "I'm really sorry about that. I tried to tell you, but.."

"I heard you. I was listening." Jake pulled his head back. "You know, you're right, though. I was being an asshole. Truth is, part of me was a little jealous of Ely. And I'd rather her be with you than God knows who else." Jake clenched his jaw, despite the ache. He wanted to be able to let go and cry in the arms of a friend the way his sister had, but he couldn't. All he could think about was how he'd had his chance and he'd let it go. "I miss my parents," Jake said, almost randomly, groaning as he laid down on the wooden porch. "And my back really hurts." Chance felt awkward, not knowing what to say. Now that he considered the pace at which events took place, it wasn't at all surprising that Jake didn't ask if Elyssa needed to talk. In the span of two years Jake lost his father to cancer, his mother to a car wreck, and his career only to follow it up with trying to get his sister into college with out the money to pay for it. In a flash, his sister was working the streets, they were building a jet, and Jake never once sat down and confronted any of it. "Look, I'm sorry I lied about the magazines. I panicked. Ely told me I needed to tell you, but I was afraid that you would flip out and start swinging punches." Jake said, his voice cracking from a dry throat.

"Which I did," Chance added. "And I'm sorry I overreacted. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with it, but I'm not angry." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hey, was that store I passed on the way here open?"

Jake nodded, "yeah. Why?"

"I think it's time for a beer. I'm going to buy a case. I'll be back in a few minutes, unless you want to ride with." Chance stood up. Jake shook his head. "I really don't think I can move right now."

(bar of division)

Elyssa ran barefoot outside. Chance told her that he was going to get Jake, and then he never came home. She had paced around the house for hours. Finally the headlights on the tow truck illuminated the salvage yard. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, anxious to hug her brother and apologize. Chance got out, quietly closing the door, and walked around to the other side of the truck.

"Is he alright?" Elyssa walked towards him. Chance nodded, opening the passenger door, holding out an arm to catch Jake as he fell out of the truck. "Oh my God! What happened to him?"

Chance steadied Jake. "Nothing. He's fine." Jake staggered a little. "I'm so trashed," Jake almost giggled as he walked past Elyssa to the door. Elyssa, wide eyed, glared at Chance. "You got him drunk? That's what took you so long?"

"_I _didn't get him drunk. _He_ only had four beers. Don't blame me just because your brother is a lightweight." Chance defended, following Elyssa into the garage. Jake was sitting on the bottom step, his head against the brick wall. In the bright light of the garage, Jake was the picture of pathetic. His fur was messy, his jaw bruised, and his eyes red and puffy. "Jake, have you been crying?" Elyssa sat on the step next to him. Jake muttered something and rested his head on her shoulder. Elyssa looked up at Chance. "Turns out," Chance said softly, "that Jake is kind of emotional when he drinks." As if Jake was playing along with what Chance was saying, he threw his arms around his sister. "I love you, Ely," he kissed her on the cheek. She winced at the alcohol on his breath. "I don't care who you sleep with. As long as you're doing it for free, I'm fine with it." Jake thought for a moment. "I mean, you know, as long as it's what you want." Elyssa looked at Chance, who just shrugged. "I don't know what I would have done," Jake continued speaking, squeezing his sister tightly. "I'm really tired. Can one of you help me up?" Jake felt Chance pull him to his feet. "Thanks, man. You're the best. If you were gay, I'd totally do you." Chance stopped and looked at Jake. "Jake, don't ever say that again." Jake looked puzzled. "What?" Chance shook his head, "never mind. Come on." He led Jake into the house. Jake grabbed onto one of the kitchen chairs and started to sit down. "Nope, I think you need to get some sleep." Chance held back a laugh. "And not at the table this time."

(bar)

Jake hissed at the light beaming in from the window. It was as if the sun had it in for him. He pulled the pillow over his face, groaning. A heavy metal concert seemed to be going on in his brain, complete with strobe lights and extended drum solos. And the mosh pit was somewhere in the pit of his stomach. Jake curled onto his side, away from the window, his arm falling over the edge of the bed. Another soft groan escaped his dry mouth. "Chance..." Jake moaned, throwing something soft from the floor in the direction of Chance's bed. He braved the morning light to see if he'd managed to get Chance's attention. But the bed was empty. Jake closed his eyes against the pounding in his head. It turned out to be the sound of someone walking down the hall. "Wake up, sleepy head," Elyssa whispered.

"Shhh.." Jake motioned with his paw. "My head hurts." Elyssa smiled sympathetically.

"I was whispering," she replied. "I brought you some coffee, and some aspirin." Jake put his paw up, turning his nose away from the steaming mug. "No thanks," he muttered. Elyssa set the cup down on the table and then sat down on the bed. "Chance told me what you were going to do. I'm glad you didn't." It took Jake a few seconds to figure out what Elyssa was talking about. "If I see him again, I'm not promising anything." Jake squeezed her paw gently. "You're the only family I have." He made a face. "I smell really bad. I need to take a shower." Jake fought against his head to sit up, only to remember his accident. He groaned, putting his head in his hands. "I need to rebuild the cyclotron." Elyssa patted him on the shoulder. "Why don't you just worry about that shower, first?"

(bar)

Jake walked downstairs, feeling a lot better. Chance was just watching the Deputy Mayor drive her car out of the yard when he heard Jake walk up behind him. "Hey, how ya feeling this morning?" Chance smirked a little. Jake shrugged. "Alright, I guess. The shower helped." Jake made a face. "I've never had more than one beer before, and, now, I don't think I'll even want _that_ much to drink again." Chance chuckled, then cleared his throat. "There's a little something for you to work on." He pointed to a mangled, charred heap of metal that had been dumped on their doorstep. "I don't think anythings salvageable." Jake nodded. "Did you grab my bike yesterday?" Chance pointed to the tow truck. "Good," Jake said. "I'll use it for the new one." Jake stretched and settled down at the desk to organize some parts orders. He was prepared for a dull day when an Enforcer patrol car pulled into the salvage yard. Jake squinted his eyes, trying to see who was driving it. He clenched the edge of the desk when a certain Lt. Commander got out and began walking towards them. Jake swallowed convulsively. The door to the house opened and Elyssa started to yell at Chance, "Chance, telephone. It's your... mom." She barely got the word out, her voice catching in her throat. Steele had just walked into the shop. "I need one of you monkeys to take a look at this thing." He looked up, seeing 'Mistress Candice'. Then he looked around the garage, seeing Chance and Jake staring coldly at him. Steele cleared his throat. "I said, my car needs work." Jake looked at Chance before standing up. He nodded at Steele. "Alright," he said, walking past him. Steele took a deep breath and turned to follow the mechanic outside. Jake already had a paw clasped tightly around the pry bar Chance had used to open the trunk of Elyssa's car. Steele didn't have time to move before it came crashing down on his head. Jake was rearing back for another swing when Chance seemed to fly across the room and pull it out of his paws. "Christ," Chance dropped the pry bar onto the concrete floor. Jake didn't seem to realize what he'd done. He saw the blood seeping out of Steele's forehead and wished it was pouring out of a larger gash. A feral growl escaped his lips and he lunged at the Lt. Commander with a Philip's head screwdriver. Chance grabbed Jake around the stomach, trying to pull him back. The adrenaline pumping through Jake's veins gave him strength to defy the muscular arms wrapped tightly around his abdomen. Despite his best efforts, Chance only managed to move Jake enough so that the screwdriver lodged itself into Steele's shoulder, rather than his neck.

With one strong movement, Chance swung Jake around, ripping the screwdriver out of his paws. "Hey!" Chance grabbed a hold of Jake's face. "Jake!" Jake's heart was pounding so hard that it felt as if his whole body was throbbing. He gasped, knees buckling. "Chance... I..." Chance found himself supporting all of Jake's weight.

"I know," Chance's tone was commanding. "You need to get yourself together." Jake nodded frantically, trying to regain strength in his legs. "Take Elyssa inside. I'll take care of this." Again, Jake nodded, this time forcing his leg muscles to work. Chance watched until the door closed behind them before looking back down at Lt. Com. Steele, who was beginning to regain consciousness. Chance stood over top of him until his eyes were open. "What the hell is going on?" Steele hissed. Chance grabbed Steele by the collar of his uniform, hauling him to his feet. He carelessly dropped Steele onto a chair. "You wanna know what's going on?" Chance nodded his head. "Alright. Well, for starters, you raped a hooker. Not just any hooker. Oh no. _You_... you went and got yourself messed up with my best friend's sister. And worse than that, you cut her up, shoved her in the trunk of her own car and smashed it up. You're lucky I don't let Jake back out here and finish what he started." Chance snarled, shoving the open wound on Steele's shoulder. "I suggest you take your patrol car back to headquarters, let the mechanics there half-ass it and then, go home to your wife and clean up your act." Steele narrowed his eyes. "Who do you think you are? Giving me orders like you're somebody important..." Chance nodded. "You're right, Steele. I'm not that important. But there's just too much physical proof of what you did for even the most corrupt judge in MKC to let you walk. And if you don't want to lose your chance at ousting Feral because of a dishonorable discharge and at least 20 years in military prison, then I suggest you leave and never come back." Steele shuddered, nodding furiously. He all but leaped out of the chair and out the door. Chance watched him until he was gone and then locked up the shop, nearly slipping in the pool of blood on the floor on his way into the house.

Elyssa was pacing in front of the kitchen window, nervously running her paws through her hair. "Where's Jake?" Chance worried that he might have left. Elyssa pointed to the bathroom. "He said he felt sick. I tried to follow him to make sure he was o k, but he yelled at me to leave him alone." Chance squeezed Elyssa's shoulder. "It's going to be alright." Chance assured her before heading to the bathroom. "Jake?" He knocked, not receiving an answer, but hearing water running. Chance opened the door, finding Jake on the floor, a steaming hot wet rag between his paws. He was scrubbing frantically at what had been covered in blood. Chance turned off the sink and knelt down in front of Jake. "Hey, buddy, look at me." Jake looked up, a kitten-like mix of fear and guilt on his tear-streaked face. He was shaking. "I didn't mean it. I don't know what happened. I don't know what came over me, I just acted. I didn't think about. I just did it." Chance pulled the rag out of Jake's paws. "I know. It's going to be fine. You didn't kill him. In fact, he was able to drive away just fine." Jake's eyes widened. "You let him leave? Christ, he's going to report me! Chance, what if I get arrested for assault or something? I can't go to jail!"  
"Hey, whoa, calm down." Chance soothed, fearing Jake was on the verge of hyperventilating. "I have a very good feeling that Steele won't even bring this up. He isn't going to risk his own career by telling anyone. It would mean you telling your side of the story. And that alone would get him discharged." Jake felt dizzy. What if Chance was wrong? He'd go down for attempted murder for sure. He put his head in his paws, shaking against the stressful mix of emotions threatening to spill over. "It's alright, Jake. Everything is going to be fine." Elyssa soothed. He mumbled something about a headache. Chance stood up, reaching into the medicine cabinet. He started to pull out the aspirin, but grabbed the bottle of sleeping pills. "Here," Chance said, handing the pills to Jake, along with a cup of water from the bathroom sink. Jake swallowed them, and sighed. Elyssa and Chance sat on the bathroom floor with Jake until he started getting drowsy. A worried look passed over Elyssa's face. "Don't worry, I gave him some sleep-aids. I figure a good 8 hours of sleep, at least, will give us time to figure out exactly how to handle this." Chance said, practically carrying Jake to bed.

(bar)

I still really don't know what I'm doing with this. It's all sort of ad-lib right now.

Nyte Kat


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: I don't own anything. Enjoy

(queue dramatic soap opera music)

"What if Steele does report this?" Jake heard Elyssa's voice through the open door. Chance said something that was too quiet for him to hear. Jake stared at the ceiling. He'd been awake for hours, yet unable to find the strength to get out of bed. His concern lied not in the fact that he'd just made the most spontaneous bad decision in his entire life, but in how good it felt doing so. Jake had been surprised at how easy it was to drive an inanimate object into the flesh of someone he hated. Even more surprising, was how badly he'd wanted to finish it. Worse than the feeling of hatred that rushed through his veins was the feeling of shock and regret that replaced it. Unable to lay in bed, pretending to be asleep any longer, Jake quietly slid out from under the warm sheets to the slightly open window. He pushed it open slowly and climbed out onto the ladder leading to the roof. The air was cooler than it had been lately, and Jake found himself shaking by the time he had reached the lawn chair over-looking the salvage yard. What if Steele did report this? Jake released a long slow breath, hearing the rusty ladder creak under someone's weight. Jake turned to see the top of Chance's head. He leaned back, letting his head fall back to stare straight up at the sky.  
"You alright, man?" Chance sat on the roof next to the lawn chair, looking up at Jake.  
'I fucking stabbed someone. No. I'm not alright,' Jake thought. "Yeah. I'm fine." Chance nodded, catching the hesitation in Jake's voice. "You sure? Because, I'd be a little shaken up if I were you." Jake ran a paw through his hair, still messy from laying in bed. A shiver ran up his spine. Was Chance trying him? Jake swallowed, afraid of his emotions giving himself away when he spoke. He opened his mouth, moving his lips in an attempt to form words. Couldn't he trust himself to speak? Jake couldn't help the frustrated chuckle that found its way out. He moved his paws to his face, stretching the skin around his eyes in a futile motion intended to prevent the real fear he was feeling from spilling out onto his cheeks. Chance didn't miss the quivering movement in Jake's jaw and averted his eyes. "Look, Chance, I know we need to figure this out," Jake's voice seemed hesitant and forced all at once, "but I'd appreciate it if you just left me alone for a while." Chance nodded and stood up, brushing himself off. "If you need anything, I'll... uh," Chance paused. "I don't know. I'll be around here somewhere." Jake nodded, clenching his jaw tightly until he couldn't hear Chance on the ladder anymore. "Fucking A," Jake muttered, rubbing his eyes hard again. It seemed that, even in solitude, Jake struggled with his feelings. He wiped his cheeks frantically. "Christ, don't be such a pussy." Jake scolded himself. "I'm not fucking 8 years old. I'm too old to be crying over getting myself in trouble." He felt the sudden urge to punch something or throw something off the roof. But there wasn't anything to punch. And he was sitting on the only thing he could throw. Jake leaned forward, running both paws through his hair. He shook his head and decided that there wasn't anything to accomplish on the roof.

Inside, Jake knocked quietly on the door to what used to be his room. "Can I come in?" He pushed it open enough to see Elyssa sitting on the window sill. She nodded. Jake nervously licked his lips as he sat on her bed, laughing softly at the fluffy pink pillows. "Look, Ely, I'm really sorry. I let this get way out of control." Jake picked at the fuzzy blanket beneath him. Elyssa sat beside him on the bed, leaning against him. "It's so hard, sometimes," he continued, "trying to keep everything in order that I forget about the feelings of people involved." Jake squeezed her knee gently. "I got so upset, that I forgot to make sure you were alright." Elyssa felt her brother take a deep breath, keeping his feelings in check. She tilted her head to meet his eyes. "You know, I'm not upset. And if mom and dad were still alive, they wouldn't be either. In fact, dad would have probably done the same thing." Jake turned to face his sister, a look of defeat in his eyes. "God, Ely, don't say that." He felt his eyes burn with tears. "You know how much I miss them." Elyssa found herself wrapped tightly in the arms of her older brother. She felt hot tears soak through the thin fabric of her t-shirt. "I miss them, too," she whispered. Elyssa felt her own eyes begin to water as she gently stroked the back of her brother's neck. Jake shuddered in her arms. "You know it will all work out, right?" Chance's voice caused them both to jump. He stood in the doorway, his eyes on Jake, as if he was studying him. Then he cleared his throat. "It's going to be fine." Jake nodded, wiping his eyes. "I know. I just panicked. Steele's too much of a coward to say anything." He stood up off the bed. "Look, about the other day. I'm really sorry. I mean, whatever you two want to do, that's your deal. I'm ok with it, just try to be a little more discreet." Jake was looking more at Chance than Elyssa. Chance nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. "Hey, I should'a talked to you before hand, you know. She's your sister and all." He paused, "And about you being gay," Chance faltered. "I'll get over it. I mean. It's not like you're that way to piss me off or anything." Jake hazard a laugh. "That's more than I expected to get. I can work with it." Jake offered his paw to Chance. "So we're alright, then?" Chance looked down at Jake's paw skeptically. "Jeez, whatever Jake." He pulled Jake into a tight hug. "We're still friends, you nut ball." Jake couldn't help the gasp that escaped his throat. "Ok," Jake pushed himself back, rubbing his eyes. "Christ," he muttered. Chance grinned, folding his arms across his chest. "Aww, don't cry on me, bud." Jake chuckled. "God, you guys are too much for me." He sniffed, turning his back to Chance, trying desperately to stop the tears from flowing. Jake breathed a ragged sigh and turned around. He pulled Chance and Elyssa into a tight embrace. "You guys know you're the only family I have, right?" They acknowledged him by returning the embrace. "Promise me you aren't going anywhere any time soon." Jake felt Chance's massive paw push his head to the side. "Hey, you're stuck with us, pal." Jake smiled, satisfied with the answer he received. "Good," he replied softly. "Thanks."

(the end)

bwah! What a sad ending! Waaaah! Okay. Please review!

Nyte Kat!


End file.
